1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electrical contact receptacle, particularly to receptacles that are included as part of a terminal for mating with a tab or pin type terminal.
2. Summary of the Prior Art
In the prior art, there are numerous examples of electrical contact receptacles designed to mate with a tab terminal. Typically, these receptacles comprise at least one pair of oppositely disposed spring arms having contact surfaces thereupon which are adapted to come into contact with opposing sides of the tab terminal. As a tab terminal has a width that is much greater than its thickness these prior art contact receptacles limit the orientation of the tab terminal to two positions, 180.degree. apart.
One particular application for a receptacle terminal configured as an adapter is with respect to an electrical power distribution centre that provides electrical interconnections between electrical and electronic devices and electrical wiring connections in a vehicular electrical system. One example of this type of electrical distribution centre is presented in U.S. Pat. No. 5,023,752. In this patent a pre-stamped metal circuit component includes tab terminals bent transversely thereto for interconnection with the tab terminal of electrical and electronic device, such as fuses and relays. In order to interconnect these tab terminals a double-ended female terminal is located therebetween. The particular double-ended female terminal disclosed requires the tab terminal of the circuit grid to be similarly orientated with the tab terminal from the component. This limitation controls where on the circuit grid the tab terminal must be folded from. In many instances, it may be more desirable to fold the tab terminal from a different location which would result in it being oriented differently than the tab terminal of the device.
In order to solve this problem, it would be desirable to have a contact receptacle capable of receiving the tab terminal of the device in a plurality of orientations, thereby eliminating the necessity of similarly aligning the tabs to be interconnected.
EP-A-0021731 discloses an electrical contact member having one end for engaging a tab terminal in a plurality of orientations. The end includes opposing contact arms that are separated by a slot such that the tab may be electrically engaged by being placed between the opposing contact arms or placed in the slot such that the side edges of the contact arms along the slot contact the tab.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,848,220 discloses a wall socket service outlet for 125 volt or 250 volt service. The wall socket has a connecting member so that the blades of a plug could be oriented in any of two ways, whereby the connecting member includes a contact portion having a channel shape extension over a contact portion for receiving the blade within the channel and between the contact portion for a first portion and between the ends of the channel and the contact portion for a second position transverse to the first position.